March, Shouchun, Bagong Mountain.

Holding his hand on the wooden railing of the watchtower, Liu Bei climbed high and looked down, between Huai and Fei Ershui for more than ten miles, he had a full view of the movements of the Wei army on the other side of the river.

"Hey!"

Liu Bei sighed slightly, and said in a low voice: "Cao Mengdebu's army is on the opposite bank, lock me in Bagong Mountain. Its military strategy is outstanding. ”

To tell the truth, he has been fighting in the Central Plains for more than ten years, and ordinary generals are not his opponents, but Cao Cao is his lifelong enemy. Therefore, now in Shouchun, against Cao Cao, the psychological pressure is really not small.

Fortunately, he has been making progress for more than ten years, from being chased and beaten by Cao Cao, to confronting Cao Cao, and then raising troops for the Northern Expedition. In a sense, it can already be counted as his victory.

Looking at the pontoon bridge on the Huai River, which connects Shouchun and Huaibei, Cao Sergeant is shuttling endlessly, Liu Bei's expression is quite annoyed.

Suddenly, Liu Bei asked: "It is difficult to use troops in this Shouchun, Zilong thinks that he can let Yun Chang go north, and pretend to take Xiangfan, do you think it is contained?" ”

Zhao Yun hesitated for a long time and said, "King, General Guan raised his troops to feint, and his duty is to guard Wuhan. If Xiangfan is taken in the north, causing Jiangxia to be empty, and the full of favors and troops are entering, Wuhan will also be in danger! ”

Although the Son of Heaven guarding the country can stabilize the political situation, it is not conducive to the mobilization of the army. It is necessary to always leave a large army to deploy control in Jiangbei to prevent the soldiers and horses of Runan and Xiangfan from breaking into the vicinity of Wuhan and causing a shock.

Now Liu Bei set out to conquer Jianghuai with all the strength of the country, and Wuhan was mostly empty. Guan Yu and Wen hired to guard Wuhan, and it was even more difficult to use troops easily.

"That's it!"

Liu Bei also knew the importance of this, and sighed and said: "Cao Ren has been stubbornly defending without fighting all year round, and he can only repair the camp between the mountains and rivers. Zongyun Chang led the army north, and there was probably nothing he could do. ”

Zhao Yun saw Liu Bei's troubles and comforted: "King, the matter of soldiers, the victory or defeat is mostly in a moment. Win with troops, perhaps tomorrow or next month, the Northern Expedition should be planned slowly. ”

Then, Zhao Yun said with a smile: "Maybe there may be an accident on General Yide's side, and it is also an unspeakable thing." ”

"Winged?"

Liu Bei smiled and said, "Hanzhong's troops are only virtual soldiers. Yide crossed the Qinling Mountains and sent troops for thousands of miles, and it was a good thing to be undefeated in this battle. ”

Saying that, Liu Bei looked at Zhao Yun and said with a smile: "It's that Zilong is becoming more and more stable, and it's a blessing that the Chinese army is in charge." ”

"Loyal to the official service!" Zhao Yun replied with his hand.

Liu Bei nodded with satisfaction, he did not choose Guan Yu and Zhang Fei to be in charge of the Chinese army, but chose Zhao Yun to be the leader of the central army. The victory lies in Zhao Yun's stability and fairness. And over the years, he has been loyal to the state and has never changed his mind.

While the monarch and ministers were chatting, the attendant shouted under the watchtower: "King, the princes have arrived in the big tent!" ”

"Good!"

Liu Bei sorted out the emotions in his chest, went downstairs along the wooden ladder, and returned to the big tent under the escort of the attendants.

The big tent is poorly furnished, with more than a dozen chairs that are easy to carry, a few cases, a couch, and a picture of longevity.

Seeing Liu Bei enter the account, all the civil and military officers bowed and said, "Meet the king!" ”

"Please take a seat!"

"King Xie!"

Looking at the tent Chinese Wu, Liu Bei asked, "Cao Cao raised a large army to Shouchun and confronted our army in Huai and Fei Ershui. Since the confrontation, it has been more than 10 days, and it is difficult to make progress. I don't know if you have a strategy to teach me? ”

The generals looked at each other, and they didn't have a good plan for the current situation.

After a long silence, Huang Zhong said: "King, our army is longer than the water division, and now the rainy season is approaching, and the Huai water is rising sharply. Loyal to or can use the boat to isolate the Huai water, into the siege of Shouchun. The enemy was ten miles away from the water and went to camp, and he was willing to lead his troops and horses across the water, and camp under the water to explore the enemy's reality. ”

"No!"

Liu Bei shook his head and said: "In the summer of Huaishui, although the river water is soaring, it is not a natural hazard. When the Huai water rose sharply, Cao Cao built a pontoon bridge and crossed the river upstream. Qing crossed the fertile water and wanted to carry the underwater camp, which was not a good strategy. ”

"And Tian Yu and Yu Ban are not unscrupulous generals, and now they retreat ten miles, and they have the intention of attacking half-crossing. It's too risky to use. ”

"How about letting Huo Du lead the army westward and join the army?" Huang Quan suggested.

Liu Bei vetoed: "Zhong Miao's soldiers, for the use of our army's backhand, should not be moved lightly!" ”

After Huo Jun took Huaiyin, he sent people to divide the two cities of Zhongli and Xuyi, and sent the surplus boats to Liu Bei.

Liu Bei was very happy with Huo Jun's progress and wrote a letter to express his appreciation. However, for the new task, Liu Bei asked Huo Jun to temporarily station in Huaidong and act as the rear hand of the army.

"My lord, our army is longer than the sailor, and weaker than the foot cavalry. Shouchun is located in a low-lying place, and the fertile water flows out of Shaobi and goes around the city. Now it may be possible to build a dam upstream of the fertile water. When the rainy season comes, the fertilizer water rises sharply, and the river weir is dug to irrigate the longevity with the fertilizer water. ”

Pang Tong groaned a little and said: "When the fertilizer water is decided, although Yu Ban, Tian Yu and other generals are brave, they have no boat, and it is difficult to rescue. And our army took the opportunity to raise an elite to storm Shouchun, or raise troops to besiege the camps, looking for an opportunity to break the city! ”

Shouchun diverts fertilizer water as a moat, which is destined to be low-lying in Shouchun. If the fertilizer water is flooded, it is an inevitable event to wash Shouchun City.

Although Yu Ban, Tian Yu and other generals stationed troops on the west bank of Feishui, Cao Cao knew that Shouchun was low-lying, so he ordered the generals to camp at a high place. After the fertilizer is decided, it will inevitably wash the low-lying areas, and the battalions will be isolated. At that time, Liu Bei raised his troops and poured out, and it was probably feasible to solve most of the battalions surrounded by fertile water.

Hearing that the water was decided, Liu Bei's eyes lit up, and he said happily: "Lonely Shouchun has perennial humidity, so there is a drainage gate, and ordinary water is difficult to break the city." But even so, if the strategy of water decision is successful, even if it cannot go to Shouchun, it can also severely damage the enemy army. ”

After a pause, Liu Bei said worriedly: "However, at that time, Cao Cao crossed the Henan River to attack Bagong Mountain, how should our army treat him?" ”

"It's easy to hear!"

Pang Tong stroked his beard and said proudly: "The rain is heavy, you can use a fireboat to go down the river, and Shi Cao manipulated the bridge to help the south, but there is nothing to be done." Only by taking the Huai River upstream to cross the river, when Cao Cao crosses the Huai Shui, the water decision has been made at that time! ”

"Shiyuan has the talent of a national soldier, and he replaces soldiers with water, this strategy is wonderful!"

Liu Bei stroked his beard and smiled, and said: "Flood Shouchun, tend to cross the river, and storm the camps, you can do this strategy quickly!" ”

"Slow down, king!"

Lu Su looked at Pang Tong, who was quite proud, and said: "Cao Cao raised all his troops in Huaibei to wait for our army to move. Now the king wants to break the fat water thief, but Yu Ban, Tian Yu, and Xiahou Dun are all guarded from high places. If he can't overcome it at that time, Cao Cao will lead his army south to seek the camp of Bagong Mountain. ”

"Although the fireboat can break the pontoon bridge, Cao Cao has a boat in his hand. And there is a sandbar in Xiacai, and a pontoon bridge can be built to cross the river. When Cao Cao attacked Bagong Mountain with all his troops, it was difficult for our army to overcome the camps, and our army was bound to be defeated inside and outside. ”

Lu Su has been in Jianghuai for many years, but he is not comparable to the outsiders of Pangtong, and he knows the water situation of the Huai River. Don't look at the strategy of breaking fat and water, but if you can't gnaw the camps, and the camp of Bagongshan is stolen by Cao Cao, it will be interesting!

"This~"

Liu Bei looked embarrassed and said: "Now it's better to transfer the troops and horses of Zhong Miao's troops to the west, converge with our army, and the two armies work together to break Cao Cao." ”

"No!"

Fa Zheng thought for a little and said: "King Qiqi, transferring Huo Du to the west may cause Cao Cao to be alert. Now it is better to send Huo Du north to Xiapi, disturb Cao Cao, and transfer his troops and horses to the east to aid Xiapi. When there are few soldiers in Huaibei, the plan of water decisive may be successful! ”

"Tune Zhong Miao's north and upper and lower Pi?"

Liu Bei showed a thoughtful look and said: "Xiapi is hundreds of miles away from Huaishui, and Zhongmiao is in danger of going deep in the north. ”

Pang Tong persuaded: "King, Huo Du marched in a boat, the Wei people were weaker than the sailors, and even if the enemy Kou Dong attacked, Huo Du could advance and retreat freely!" ”

Lu Su looked serious and said: "King, Jianghuai is not Wu Chu, and Wu Chu's water situation cannot be used to measure Xu Huai's water situation." Cao Cao was not a man without strategists, and there were many military generals under his account, as well as many masters. At the beginning of Huaiyin today, Zhongli was guarded, and Huo Du had few soldiers, so it was probably not a wise move to raise troops deeply. ”

"King, the army was blocked by Cao Cao in Bagong Mountain, and now if you don't accept the strategy of fat water, how can you defeat the enemy? If we don't move the Cao army from the north to stay away, why will our army look west? ”

Pang Tong bowed his hand to Liu Bei and said in a deep voice: "Please think deeply about the benefits and disadvantages of this time, and if you don't break Cao Cao's troops, this Northern Expedition may be in vain." ”

Liu Bei gritted his teeth and said: "Shiyuan, filial piety and straightforward words are reasonable, store fertilizer and water, and decide longevity." It is a good strategy to raise troops to attack the battalions, in order to relieve the pressure of the large battalions, and to move the enemy army away from Huaibei. ”

"Someone came to repair the book and Huo Du, and now he is ordered to lead the army from Surabaya to the north, plot to capture Pi, divide the heavy troops in Huaibei, and force Cao Cao to send troops to the east."

"No!"

"The king is wise!" Pang Tong praised.

——

The scouts went down the boat, Shouchun to Xuyi for three or four hundred miles, and arrived at Xuyi on one or two days.

Huo Jun marched west from Huaiyin, and when he was stationed in Xuyi, he was embarrassed.

Xuyi was a rich place in the Eastern Han Dynasty, but during the decades of war, Xuyi had already withered. Even in Cao Wei's compilation, there is no Xuyi County.

Huo Jun entered Xuyi City, and there were only more than ten households in the city, most of whom were lonely and widowed old people. The people were panicked by the arrival of the army, Huo Jun provided food to help more than ten orphans and widows, and asked the sergeant to move south with dozens of people to live in the hinterland of Huaidong.

In the past, Huo Jun often fought in Jiangzuo or Jingchu, and the people could often see it. The abandoned city of Anhui before, there are still people hidden in the mountains around. Ran led the army north into Huaidong, so that Huo Jun completely understood what desolation was.

The fertile land of Jianghuai has been deserted, and the graves are overgrown with weeds. The abandoned city is lonely, only the empty, collapsed houses tell the story of the prosperity of the past.

In the abandoned Xuyi City, Huo Jun sent people to clean up a few times, and then led the sergeants to station.

After staying in Xuyi City for about half a month, Huo Jun received a military order from Liu Bei to go north to Xuzhou.

In the spacious mansion in the north of the city, the military Chinese Wu was ordered to enter the hall to discuss the military.

In the hall, Huo Jun put down the letter and said: "Cao Cao's soldiers are in Shouchun, and the number of his soldiers and horses is as high as more than 100,000. There were 60,000 or 70,000 soldiers and horses under the king's tent, and only 40,000 or 50,000 soldiers could fight. Therefore, the king was deeply worried about Cao Cao's soldiers, and it was difficult for the army to seek Shouchun, so he ordered our army to enter Surabaya in the north and feint to capture Pi in order to mobilize the enemy's eastern aid. ”

Gao Xiang laughed a few times and said: "Since the beginning of the war, Zang Ba has feared the name of the governor, and the wall is clear. Our army is going north, and under its deep fear, it will ask Cao Cao for help, and it is very easy to feint! ”

The young Ding Feng was complacent, and said with a smile: "Dudu, the king ordered us to feint to capture Pi, why not capture Pi now." Xiapi is the county of Xuzhou, if it can really be conquered, this will be a great achievement! ”

Huo Jun saw that the generals floated up, and the more he talked about it, the more outrageous it became, his face darkened, and he warned everyone: "In the affairs of soldiers, you should guard against arrogance and rashness." Xiapi is a large town in the Central Plains, and thousands of people are stubbornly defended, enough to retreat tens of thousands of soldiers. In the past, Cao Cao captured Pi, led Surabaya to decide, and captured Lu Bu. ”

"If you go north to Surabaya today, it will not be easy to besiege Xiapi, and you should not take it lightly."

"No!"

When everyone saw Huo Jun admonishing like this, their expressions were serious and responded.

"Governor, now that you are going north to Surabaya, I don't know when you will march and what are the arrangements?" Jiang Ji asked.

Huo Jun pondered a little and said, "The whole army will be equipped with two months' food, and the troops will be sent in five days." ordered Zhongli Fei to lead 3,000 soldiers to guard Zhongli, and Xu Sheng to supervise 5,000 soldiers to guard Huaiyin. More than 20,000 troops were drawn north into Surabaya, and Xiapi was encircled to lure Cao Cao to divide his troops to the east. ”

"No!"

After the generals retreated, Jiang Ji stayed alone.

Jiang Ji thought for a moment and asked, "The king ordered the governor to go north to Xuzhou, could it be that Shouchun has his own plan?" ”

Regarding Jiang Ji's inquiry, Huo Jun did not hide it, and said: "The king wants to decide on fat water to irrigate Shouchun." When the water rises sharply, he leads his troops to cross the fertile water, seek longevity, or besiege the camps. ”

However, Cao Cao led a large number of soldiers in Huaibei, and he looked down on the Bagong Mountain camp. Therefore, the king ordered me to lead the army north into Surabaya to divide the troops of Huaibei. ”

Hearing this, Jiang Ji pondered.

Seeing that Jiang Ji was silent, Huo Jun asked, "Could it be that the strategy of fertilizing water is difficult to achieve?" ”

Jiang Ji shook his head and said: "Qi Yu Governor, the strategy of fat water may be successful, but the wise and resourceful people under Cao Cao's account can understand this strategy!" ”

"Who is Zitong?" Huo Jun asked curiously.

Jiang Ji frowned and sighed, and said, "This person is none other than Liu Ye!" ”

"Liu Ye, a native of Jiujiang Chengde, has lived in Shouchun for a long time. Shi Yuanying Gong (Liu Fu) ruled Jianghuai, and pulled Liu Ye, Hu Zhen and Ji to Xuchang. Liu Ye and Hu Zhen are rare heroes in Jiujiang. Today, Ji was fortunate to return to the king, and the two of them served under Cao Cao's account. ”

"Hu is good at governing and can fit people; Liu Ye is strategic and good at planning. The two have their own strengths, and they also have their own uses. ”

"Liu Ye?"

Huo Jun touched his mustache, revealing a contemplative look.

In terms of fame, Liu Ye is not as famous as Guo Jia, Er Xun, and Jia Xu. But in terms of actual ability, Liu Yedang is underestimated.

For example, after Cao Cao conquered Hanzhong, if he listened to Liu Ye's advice, he went south to conquer Bashu. Whether there will be Shu Han in the future, I'm afraid it is difficult to know.

Huo Jun thought for a little and said: "Although Liu Ye is talented, he is not a person who has no last resort. Now the king has raised troops to base on Bagong Mountain, and there is no other strategy available except for the strategy of water decision. Plan and act, and you may succeed. ”

The Battle of Shouchun was not commanded by Huo Jun, and it was difficult for Huo Jun to know the specific details. Whether a strategy will succeed or not is unpredictable. Now, as Huo Jun said, if you try more strategies, you will always have a chance to succeed.

Huo Jun pointed to Xiapi on the map and said with a smile: "Send troops to Surabaya and surround Xiapi." When our army first arrived in the north to fight, it was necessary to check the geography and water potential. This matter should be done by Lao Zitong on behalf of him, and he will fill in the gaps for Jun to investigate! ”

"No!" Jiang Ji responded.

(End of chapter)